10 Examples Of The Best Infographic Design

29 September 2016

Design Inspiration

The creation of cool infographics is showing no signs of stopping. Data visualisation is taking the internet by storm, one diagram at a time. Businesses can present complicated sheets of data which is easy on the eye and designers can convey messages that bring facts to life, rather than struggling with traditional charts and graphs.

The way we consume data is changing, and in a world saturated with sums, figures and stats, graphic designers have developed a digestible solution. Infographic design is constantly evolving as tech develops, but the fact of the matter stays the same; Infographics are fun! Designers are limited only by their imagination, experimenting with colours and images to relay data in exciting ways that engage their audience.

But why have we seen such a surge in this form of design? The reason we create infographics is because fundamentally, humans are visual creatures. 70% of all your sensory receptors are in your eyes (Merieb, E. N. & Hoehn, K (2007) Human Anatomy & Physiology), meaning we are genetically hardwired to prefer images. It’s no wonder colourful data visualisation tools are fast becoming a firm favourite in web reports.

From timeline to interactive, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best infographic examples currently on the web.

1) Why Your Brain Craves Infographics

It only seems fitting to start our collection with an interactive infographic focused on why we love them so much (Inception in infographic form anyone?). This incredibly informative design was built by Neo Mam Studios, who built it using HTML5 and CSS3 for a parallax scrolling effect which is executed to perfection.

Neo Mam Studios strive to create infographics that will be shared, combining solid stats with sharp design which is irresistible to readers. Danny Ashton from the agency told Creative Bloq that the challenge when building the infographic was keeping CSS simple. “Instead of creating complicated and messy ‘tricks’, we wanted a user-friendly experience which was smooth and creative”.

Content is complimented by icons and images to flawlessly argue the effectiveness of, well, itself!

Information is beautiful made an infographic for the canine enthusiasts by creating doggy data! Journalist David McCandless conducted the research which was transformed into a barkingly brilliant visual chart by Andrew Park.

They gathered the data based on factors such as intelligence, genetics, costs and appetite (to name a few) and measured up each breed to create a chart which plotted each dog’s ‘data score’ against popular public opinion. Park presents a huge breadth of information in a simple, colourful and easy to read way. Which way the dog is facing shows its intelligence, with the more astute breed facing right. The colour scheme allocated each breed represents their ‘family’ (hound, terrier, working etc.)

The collective stressed that at risk of offending dog owners of ‘overrated breeds’ such as Bulldogs, Great Danes and Saint Bernard’s, that they didn’t want people to take the data personally. The Border Collie was the clear winner, gaining points from the data because of obedience, a long life expectancy and a high level of intelligence.

We’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane and include one of the first recorded infographics in human history! Published in Paris in 1858, The Table of Universal History attempts to depict the entirety of human history in one infographic; an ambitious feat for any designer even in the 21st Century.

The scope of existence stems from Adam and Eve’s creation all the way through to present day Europe noting mythical, biblical and historical events throughout time. It holds the title of the original timeline infographic, utilising coloured rivers to represent and differentiate cultures, and is annotated with further illustrations from top to bottom.

davidrumsey.com

4) Die Hard

What is an infographic for, if not to relay every stat, fact and blast in Die Hard!? This genius infographic won’t go out of place mounted on a film buff’s wall, and in our opinion, is the epitome of everything modern infographics stand for: solid data showcased by fantastic design to showcase information that otherwise might be hard to digest!

If you’re more of a Live Free or Die Hard fan, (you're wrong, but…) don’t fret. The clever marketers commissioned an infographic for all five films in the franchise.

Ok. This may not be the most factually accurate infographic. However, due to the resources available to the designer from recent media coverage we think the data could be an acceptable representation.

‘Anatomy of Kanye’ was posted on the Tumblr profile of Dunny Macaskill, who claims that ‘with all of his controversial outbursts and larger-than-life ego, it’s easy to assume that Kanye West doesn’t think before he says anything. Here’s what his stream of consciousness would read like if we were able to take a look inside the layers of the brazen rappers cranium.’

This tongue–in-cheek infographic is funny, eye-catching and certainly shareable – traits which designers commonly aim for when embarking on their next infographic project.

Now a staple in every graphic designer’s folder, this infamous infographic said everything a freelance graphic designer has ever wanted to shout at their client. The Venn diagram designed by Colin Harman rings more truth for frustrated freelancers around the world than any infographic backed by quantified data.

“I love design but it has its limitations in the creation process” claims Harman, “Hopefully, this helps you understand what those are and hep you choose how you would like your design work in the future.

Amen to that.

colinharman.com

7) Valar Morghulis (All men must die)

*SPOILER* IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED SERIES 1 OF GAME OF THRONES (where have you been) THEN SKIP TO EXAMPLE 8.

The Washington Post celebrated the return of the biggest TV show on the planet by creating an infographic documenting every noted death in Westeros. The location of each death was presented, depicted on an extensive map of Westeros to show where each character fell. Data includes the killer of the character, the nature of their death and the motive behind each fall.

The Washington Post and its design team did an amazing job of stirring interest in the new series, and the infographic even seconded as a recap for those who have been watching since 2011.

In 2014, Simon Rogers wrote books of infographics especially for children. Working with legendary graphic designers Peter Grundy and Nichola Blechman, Infographics: Human Body andAnimal Kingdomare paving the way to combine graphic design with early development.

Rogers believes images are a way for adults to convey messages and ideas to children in a way they couldn’t comprehend just by words. “Data is a way of tackling vagueness, something children dislike intensely”, he told The Guardian, “Facts are black and white, right and wrong to the average six-year-old. They want certainty.”

Grundy and Blechman flawlessly capture the playfulness and fun which will engage children, using this as a frame to showcase facts to help understand the world around them.

www.theguardian.com

9) Tea and Biscuit Guide

Infographic creators Green Hat Design constructed this incredibly illuminating portrayal of a dilemma wrestled over by generations of tea drinkers. The agency boasted how ‘extensive research’ was undertaken by the self-sacrificing team to eliminate the ‘fear of floppage’ that bubbles in the stomach of every dunker who tentatively submerges their biscuit in a brew before consuming.

The certainty of the recorded data was however put in question after the disclaimer released by Green Hat at the bottom of the infographic:

“This research was carried out by graphic designers with no formal training in any field of scientific research whatsoever, in a studio which was not a controlled environment. Therefore all results should be treated firmly in cheek”.

… Whatever you say, guys. We’re taking this as hard evidence. Now pass us the Jammy Dodgers.

Lish-55 created infographics of a panda and an elephant designed entirely of typography to illustrate the dangers each animal faces, and how we can help. A huge amount of information is covered in each image, from wider issues facing the environment right down to a barcode you can scan to adopt an elephant.

The impeccable use of colour, spacing and shocking content create a powerful infographic that hits home with force. The typography, stats and design work hand in hand to simultaneously inform and entertain. Amazing stuff!

There’s not a flicker of doubt in our mind that infographics are here to stay. Designers will continue to have fun experimenting with new ways to delight and surprise. In a world driven by data, interesting infographics are a breath of fresh air and the perfect way to digest complex information. We hope this collection provides some inspiration when designing the next infographic for your client, and covers a fragment of the amazing design out at the moment!

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